Nau mai ki tenei wiki Kōrero. The end of the term break is upon us and I do hope you have managed to have some rest and relaxation after such a crazy second term. We look forward to having all of our kindergartens open next week and welcoming our teachers, children and whānau back for an exciting Term 3. Ma tini ma mano ka rapa te whai. Jane 
Aiga Receives Her Award On 3 July Aiga and her family gathered at Government House to receive her Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Here is a brief outline written about Aiga and the award. Lealamanu’a Aiga Caroline Mareko, of Porirua, for services to the Pacific community and education.
Lealamanu’a Aiga Caroline Mareko is a Senior Manager for Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens, Chair of Aotea College Board of Trustees and Chairperson of the Wellington Region Pasifika Services Board. She is involved with Kapiti Mana Pasifika Services Network.
She has held many voluntary committee and board positions. She was a member of the National Executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa and represented the Institute on the Council of Pacific Education Executive. She leads and organises events for Pinikilicious, which promotes health and wellbeing for Pacific women. Ms Mareko was the Central South region Pacific Education Coordinator at the Ministry of Education, overseeing the Pasifika Education Plan. We are so very proud of you Aiga!!! 
PLD Opportunity Tangata Māori Rōpū hui with Sandy Morrison and Jenny Ritchie Wednesday, 2 September at Fanau Pasifika Kindergarten, Levin 4.00pm to 7.30pm. Would you please RSVP with your attendance by 20 August and any dietary requirements for tea to: Louana.fruean@wmkindergartens.org.nz.
Head Teacher Professional Time We can confirm that all Head Teachers can access a second day of HT Professional Time (or release day) in Term 3 this year, between July and 28 September. This is to enable you to carry out the work required to conduct appraisals with the teachers and support staff in your team. Please request “Head Teacher Professional Time” through you iPayroll Kiosk.
Induction and Mentoring Programme for 2020 Update for PCTs and Mentors Introduction to WMK induction and Mentoring Programme: (for all new PCTS/STC’s and Mentors) 21 July 3.00 - 4.00pm via Zoom NB: Please make sure you enrol on HR.Net asap and we will send the ZOOM meeting invitation out to you. As we had to cancel our July Seminar for PCTs and Mentors, we have decided to offer a separate Introduction to theWMK Induction and Mentoring (I & M) programme for all new PCTS /STCs and Mentors. This session is important for all new PCTs/STC’s and their mentors as it provides an overview of our support and the expectations for taking part in our WMK I & M programme. We will be doing this session via ZOOM on 21 July from 3.00 – 4.00pm so that everyone can attend. Watch out in next week’s Korero for an update about the programme for our next full I & M seminar for 1 October. Please contact Lynette, lynette.wray@wmkindergartens.org.nz, or your ST if you have any questions. ECE Online Series NZEI Te Riu Roa have an online web series, this weekend, on Matariki and ECE. The web series is open to everyone working in the ECE sector. You will be joined by wonderful people such as Professor Rangi Matamua, Professor Helen May and other wonderful leading thinkers on maramataka, curriculum, language revitalisation, climate change and a range of other topics. Each of these conversations will be facilitated and led by early childhood teachers or members. The idea is to really showcase the leadership on bi cultural future-thinking practice that is happening in early childhood settings. To check out the event and register please click here. The full program is available here.
Kiribati Language Week 
Matariki New Premises Officially Opens Last Friday Minister Chris Hipkins officially opened the new Matariki Kindergarten building along with the Upper Hutt Mayor and the kindergarten community. The new building is licensed to cater to 45 children per session, 15 more children than the previous building allowed. The new kindergarten is purpose built with space dedicated to whanau and community, the space will be available for functions and gatherings etc. “We’re really looking forward to the opportunities that (the community space) might open up, I know that other kindergartens do some great things with their community spaces”, says Head Teacher Tiffini Campbell. Tiffini says, ‘The new space will mean we can cater to more children…we’re the only full day kindergarten in Upper Hutt, so it will be great to be able to do that for the community”. “The old kindergarten was down a long driveway hidden away and parking was limited but we’re going to be in a spot that’s close to where we were, so it’s still really close for families who came to Matariki because it’s close to home”, says Tiffini. The teaching staff and children are excited to be in their their new building! 
 
Taitoko Kaiako Spend Day On Marae 
Fanau Pasifika Support Student Teachers Through Zoom 
Lou's Rāhui Waiata Now Available During the rāhui Lou shared waiata. These are now available here on Storypark and Youtube. You can use them during your sessions and whānau can sing them at home.
Double Celebration at Petone Beach The team at Petone Beach Kindergarten had double reason to celebrate this week! Firstly Matariki, where the teachers, whānau and community came together to celebrate the Rising of Matariki! Secondly they celebrated Cherish's graduation. Ka mau te wehi!  
Upcoming OMEP Meeting 
World Famous In Greytown The following article was printed in the Wairarapa Times-News recently. Yay for you guys Greytown Kindergarten!! On a cold, damp Thursday in Stella Bull Park, Greytown Kindergarten gathered and celebrated Arbor Day, the international tree planting ceremony, 130 years on from New Zealand’s first, held in the town in 1890. The teachers and children were joined by parents, the Friends of the Park, along with Stella Bull’s sons, David and John Bull. Jenny Hansen, a teacher at the kindergarten and one of the organisers of Arbor Day 2020, said that the ceremony [celebrated a day early due to last Friday’s teacher only day] was a special one, despite the “atrocious” weather. “It was so great for us as a kindergarten, and it was lovely to see the Friends of O’Connor’s Bush and Stella Bull Park.” Hansen said that the kindergarten had organised regular tree planting, but that the preferred spot at O’Connor’s Bush had become sufficiently planted, which prompted them to choose Stella Bull Park. The ceremony began with speeches given by head teacher Sheena Given, as well as Ruth Evans. These were then cemented by a group waiata [traditional Maori song]. Given said that she was grateful to the Greytown community and emphasised the importance of Stella Bull’s ethos. “Greytown Kindergarten has been a part of this community for over 60 years, educating and caring for the community’s youngest children, and with the support of this wonderful town, we will be here for many, many years to come. “We enjoy the proximity of the park to kindergarten and honour Stella Bull’s vision of having a community garden. “This tree is planted for all to enjoy the fruits it will bear in the future.” 
Left to right, Leighton Stannard, Ariana Newton, Evelyn Mackie, and Baxter Rance plant the damson plum tree in Stella Bull Park for Arbor Day. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
Snow Closes Kindergartens Earlier this month winter really hit hard and three of our kindergartens in the Central Plateau area were closed for a day. Snow does make for fun times though and when the children returned to Waiouru Kindergarten the following day spray bottles filled with dye were used to paint. Great fun!! 
This Week On Facebook  
Handy Facebook Pages  The Sustainability Trust are currently giving away free curtains to anyone with a community services card in Wellington at the moment.
Winter is not easy on a lot of our whānau and the Sustainability Trust often try to help out where they can, follow the page for updates and info to share with your whānau.
To Give Away 
Wellington South Kindergarten have a marble run set that they would like to give away. Pick up at the Kindergarten. Please get in touch with them if you are keen by emailing wellingtonsouth@wmkindergartens.org.nz 
Appointments and Resignations Congratulations to the following on their recent appointment" | Rachel Pratt | Head Teacher | Ascot Park | | Jennifer Field | .8 Teacher | Kahurangi | | Claire Stevens | .7 Teacher | Lansdowne | | Julie Huffer | .7 Teacher | Lansdowne | | Christine Zee | Teacher | Matariki | | Emma Lavery | Teacher Support | Matariki |
We wish all the best to the following, who have resigned: | Mavis Bates | .6 Itinerant Reliever | WMK | | Cathryn Wong | Finance Officer | WMK | | Thijs de Koning | .5 LTR | Lyall Bay |
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